The Ultimate Green Tool Quiz

Power tools don't have to be annoying to the ears and damaging to the environment. With more and more people jumping on the green bandwagon, there are more options than ever for avoiding hazardous power tools. Take this quiz to see how much you know about using green, eco-friendly tools!

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Question 1 of 10

You can use gas-powered chainsaws ...

in a garage

in a yard

Gasoline-powered chainsaws emit dangerous carbon monoxide gas, so they should never be used in an enclosed space like a garage or shed.

in a shed

Question 2 of 10

For its size and weight, the most powerful rechargeable battery is...

lithium-ion

Lithium-ion batteries operate at higher voltages than other rechargeables: roughly 3.7 volts for lithium-ion versus about 1.2 voltsÂ for NiMH or NiCd.

nickel-cadmium (NiCd)

nickel-metal hydride (NiMH)

Question 3 of 10

Each year, Americans throw away this many tons of alkaline batteries.

12,500

46,000

84,000

Americans dispose of around 84,000 tons of these batteries per year! The Ecology Action Center reports that batteries make up about 20 percent of household hazardous waste in landfills.

Question 4 of 10

Propane fuel is...

more harmful to the environment than gas

extremely harmful to the soil and water table

safe for the environment, soil and water

Propane is far safer for the environment than gasoline because it's neither toxic nor caustic. If you spill it, no harm will come to the soil or water.

Question 5 of 10

How much gas do people spill each year while refueling lawn and garden equipment?

70,000 gallons

17 million gallons

At 17 million gallons per year, the amount that people spill when refueling is more than was spilled in the Exxon Valdez disaster.

170 million gallons

Question 6 of 10

Today's push lawn mowers...

are lightweight and as easy (or easier) to push than gas-powered mowers

can do a better job of cutting the lawn than some gas-powered mowers

both of the above

Push mowers' lighter weight makes them easier to push than ever before, and they snip grass rather than chew it up as many motorized mowers do.

Question 7 of 10

The greenest way to rid your garden of aphids is...

to introduce natural predators, such as ladybugs, into the foliage

Ladybugs and other insects are nature's greenest garden tools. These natural predators love aphids -- one ladybug can consume 5,000 aphids in one year!

to pour salsa on the plants

to spray the plants with pesticides

Question 8 of 10

A clothesline...

is better than a dryer for getting rid of bacteria

keeps clothes lasting longer

both of the above

Clotheslines are good for both of these things! They help clothes last longer, and the sun rids clothes of bacteria that the dryer doesn't.

Question 9 of 10

A tool swap is...

a special market that sells only tools

a feature of a tool that lets you swap components

a club in which members own different sets of tools and swap as needed

More circles of friends and entire communities are creating tool swaps. By sharing tools that they use only occasionally, everyone saves money -- and it's great for the environment, too!

Question 10 of 10

Double-dipped nails...

are pounded into wood two times

are dipped twice in molten zinc

Double-dipped nails, which are dipped twice in molten zinc, are more resistant to rust. Therefore, they last much longer than untreated nails.